18 x 30″ acrylic on canvas
What good was a unicycle with no pedals? Not much to most, but the two young birds flying overhead were certainly not most. They saw adventure and entertainment in the one-wheeled contraption – it had more than just ground potential.
They took to the sky, unicycle in tow. Diving and spinning, heaving and whipping the little cycle moved like a gyroscope through a glorious afternoon sky.
6.25 x 24.5″ Acrylic and ink on wood
They’d thought him slightly off his rocker and dubbed his antics a waste of time. What sort of bird rides around on such a wheeled contraption when nest building and worm catching should be one’s priority?
To and fro the carefree bird would pedal, scarf sailing in the wind. For hours he would sometimes ride and when he tired he’d stop, flutter his wings, and dismount smoothly – turning his attention to whatever it was birds of his sort do.
Color added to original 11 x 14″ drawing in Photoshop
“Go with the flow,” they had said. So he hopped in his rowboat and waited for a tide. But ponds in the middle of suburbia offer little in the way of waves. He sat at the ready – alert to inspiration. Somehow, though, he couldn’t shake the sense that such a tactic may not garner the grandest results.
The tooth had been giving him fits for days now. He’d tried some herbal remedies and ointments but they just weren’t cutting it. After reading up on the issue in Everyday Health Questions Answered; A Guide to Holistic Healing, the progressive lion determined the tooth must go.
Day 359, 11 x 14 Original ink drawing with Photoshop color addition
Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days
You wouldn’t know it by looking at him. On the surface he always appeared so gruff – half asleep even. Onlookers would see him soaking lazily in the muddy waters and think, “What a bore.”
The cool hippo was anything but. As stars shone above in the wee hours of night the cool hippo came alive. He played a saxophone that rivaled Coltrane. Smooth, silky; the notes flowed from the him like the waters of the Nile. Passers by fell silent with awe wondering where in the world these sounds were coming from?
Origianl 11 x 14″ ink on paper
Day 357, ~5 x 7″ watercolor and ink on paper
Goal: To create one piece if art each day for 365 consecutive days
The smartest fish in the sea he was not, but that never did bother him – or anyone else for that matter. His happy-go-lucky demeanor and ability to be easily entertained made him a joy to be around.
The day the easy-going swimmer got his fin caught on a lure might have been a bad one for any other fish, but proved to be an exciting turn of events for him. Rather than fuss and moan about the predicament, he approached the bobbly red adornment as something he could chase after for hours. And that he did.
Day 320, 10 x 24″ Acrylic, ink and paper on canvas
Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days
Many were quick to point out his shortcomings – most of which were physical:
Short and squat.
Bug eyes on the back of his head.
And that beak! They said it looked good on other birds. The hummingbird wore it well.
He brushed such short-sided comments aside, knowing they were wrong.
Now though, with his beak entwined in spindly branches with no hope of untangling, he would rescind one thing. The hummingbird did wear it better.
Day 310, 10.25 x 15″ Ink, paper and acrylic on wood
Goal: To create one piece of art each day for 365 consecutive days
Smart as the raven was, this new predicament was sure to challenge. For legs like straw and wings of sticks will only get a clever bird so far.
Slightly rattled but with his wits still about him, he paced along the shoreline.
“Think, think,” he cawed
6.25 x 10.25 Ink on paper
He recognized long ago that he wasn’t like the others. Physically, he didn’t belong. His stubby antlers never reached a length of more than a few inches. And he honestly didn’t care for foraging or trudging through four feet of snow in the dead of winter.
Not handsome by nature’s standards – that required a six point rack at the least – but sharp as a tack. Numbers were his thing.
So he packed his bags and made his way to the city. Wall Street specifically – where a fine suit and silk tie trumped antlers hands down, and numbers were the name of the game.
3 x 5″ watercolor and ink on paper
It’s a sad life for the neglected cat. Sleeping and eating can only distract for so long. And that ball of yarn lacks entertainment without a human controlling its end.
So you sit and wait. Moping or pacing impatiently until that door finally opens and the humans finally give you the attention you deserve. You purr and snuggle in close. Until you remember…they LEFT you. All day. So you snub them for a moment or two – perhaps taking your anger out on an errant foot swinging above. That will show them you think as you quickly take your place on the nearest lap.
11 x 14 watercolor, ink and acrylic wash on paper
On some far off planet, in some other universe, a child plays and dreams. She imagines a place full of wonderful creatures that move about in beautiful patterns and create sounds that are music to her ears. The creatures, she is certain, are friendly and exciting and imaginative. Most importantly, they love to play.
Imagining what fun they would have, the girl determines she must meet these creatures and so devises a plan. She will build them a home (that also doubles as a spaceship, of course) and attach a balloon to carry it into the atmosphere. It would float and she would wait. Patiently. For her new friends to arrive.
Micah Richardson 